British report reveals the countries that have filled the EU 'void' in WB

Russia, China and Turkey have according to a British report filled the gap of influence and power that EU has left in Western Balkans.

The fact is stated in the UK parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee report, which adds, according to Serbian B92, that many of the witnesses it heard "suggested that, by contrast, Russian influence in the region is weak, not least because its economic presence is limited."

Indeed, the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) told us that one of the biggest threats facing the region is 'Russia’s increased interference in the Western Balkans, as seen in the attempted coup plot in Montenegro in October 2016', which it describes as 'a brazen example of Russia’s risk-appetite and willingness to attempt disruption'. The FCO also highlighted Russia’s support for the 'destabilizing activities of political leaders in the Republika Srpska (Serb Republic)' in Bosnia-Herzegovina and cited media reports in early 2018 that local police were purchasing 'long-barreled weapons' from Russia, fueling fears of Russia’s ability to destabilize the fragile peace settlement in Bosnia-Herzegovina."

Robert Cooper, a former EU diplomat, is quoted as telling the committee that, "The Russians, as they do in other places, are very good at making a bad situation worse. That is one of their great skills. This is a place where there are quite a lot of bad situations, and they work on them.".... / IBNA